The Causes of Snoring

Reader Question: My husband snores at night but he's not overweight and doesn't really drink. What could be the cause and is there anything that can help?

On Call Response: His snoring could be triggered by nasal congestion or it could be a sign of more serious condition called sleep apnea. Nasal congestion often gets better when you take a nasal decongestant (available over the counter) along with a topical nasal steroid (by prescription only).

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To figure out whether your husband has sleep apnea, he'll have to do a sleep study which involves staying overnight in a sleep lab to evaluate what happens to his body while he's catching those zzz's. Sleep apnea occurs when the top of the airway in the throat collapses during sleep and breathing usually stops for about 10 seconds. During this time, oxygen levels drop, putting stress on the heart and blood vessels. Your body responds by gasping for breath and waking you up. This goes on and on throughout the night, and can happen as often as 200 to 400 times.

Sleep apnea is quite common (about 12 million Americans have it) yet it often goes undiagnosed. If left untreated, it can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke, especially in men under age 60. Symptoms include fatigue and excessive daytime sleepiness, yet the most prominent one is snoring. Make sure your husband gets it checked out—both for his sake and yours!

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